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Have you _______ today?
September 2007

I have a client who runs a mid-size, global firm with a talented and sophisticated board of directors. Yet it is not always easy or appropriate to gather the board to discuss all issues, so he and I meet monthly in a process I call “strategic dialogue”. This affords him the opportunity to discuss issues that are tough to bring up with his board and his executive team. As the saying goes, “it is lonely at the top”.

This CEO is very talented and successful. He is growing his business at a rate that exceeds the market. His profitability is well above the norm in his industry. He is on top of his game. I offer this so that you might give the following list a hard look. He has it posted in his office as a daily reminder of what his priorities are. Here it is (reprinted with permission):

1. Have you talked to the board today? This can be a challenging relationship for CEOs. If you do not develop trust and have open communication, you will never get the benefit from the board that you should nor will they have a level of faith required for long-term success.

2. Have you reviewed the numbers today? Having a dashboard in place to monitor your business can eliminate surprises and help you take corrective action before small problems become real problems. What are the critical issues in your business?

3. Have you walked the hallways today? In this CEO’s world he literally means walking the hallways to make sure that he has a chance to interact with many of his coworkers. He understands that visibility is important for leadership. You might take this metaphorically as your “hallways” may be distant, but think about your interaction with your team.

4. Have you talked to a customer today? Too many CEOs insulate themselves from the people that really matter, their customers. Getting unvarnished information is critical for a CEO to stay “on” the business rather than just “in” the business. As a friend of mine says, “If you are constantly facing inward, it means your butt is facing the customer!”

5. Did you read today? Think metaphorically. This is his message to himself that says that you must constantly educate yourself.

6. Did you think about the future today? This CEO’s industry has some pending changes that might radically change how they do business. Yours probably does as well. Thinking about the future cannot be isolated to a 2-day planning event every year. The CEO needs to continually question the vision to develop a clear, compelling picture of the future in order to make effective decisions and align the organization.

What is your daily list? If you don’t have a structured way to stay focused, you won’t.

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Todd Ordal helps CEOs and senior leaders connect the dots between current reality and a compelling vision of the future. He consults on strategy and serves as a thought partner for CEOs because he understands from his days as a CEO that it is lonely at the top. You can contact Todd at todd@appliedstrategy.info or call 303-527-0417.